The use of nozzles in the coal mining industry is well known. One application for nozzles in this industry is dust suppression during the mining operation. Nozzles are usually located at various locations on a mining machine to suppress the generation of dust.
Because of the mining operation, it is not uncommon for the nozzles to get clogged and need cleaning and repair. This cleaning requires shutting down the equipment and water flow so that the nozzle is cleaned or replaced. This shutting down operation impedes productivity and the mine operator can be subjected to fines for plugged nozzles.
Self-cleaning water nozzles are known in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 5,193,746 to Iwamura et al. is an example of one such nozzle that uses nozzle halves, a nozzle housing, and spring arrangement for the self-cleaning function. However, this design is problematic in that is requires a spring clip to keep the components in the nozzle housing. The spring clip can be dangerous when removing, easily lost, and requires the nozzle housing to be removed from the water supply line for nozzle repairs.
Accordingly, a need exists for a better self-cleaning nozzle.